Polemon Eupator

Polemon Eupator (Greek: Πολέμων Εύπάτωρ his epithet Eupator means in Greek "born of a noble father") was a Prince from Anatolia who lived in the Roman Empire in the 1st century.

Polemon was a monarch of Greek, Roman, Assyrian, Armenian and Median ancestry. He was the elder son born to the Roman Client ruling Monarchs Polemon II of Pontus and Julia Mamaea, and his brother was Rheometalces. His father was the second son among the three children born to the late Roman Client Monarchs Polemon I of Pontus, also known as Polemon Pythodoros and Pythodorida of Pontus. His mother was the second daughter born among four children to the late Roman Client Monarchs Sampsiceramus II and Iotapa of Emesa Syria.

The full name of Polemon is unknown as his known name is known from inscriptional evidence. Polemon is known from a restored surviving inscription from Amphipolis Greece, that is commemorating Polemon II, Polemon and Rheometalces which is dated from the second half of the 1st century. Perhaps his full name was Marcus Antonius Polemon Zenon Pythodoros Eupator. He inherited his first name Polemon from his father and paternal grandfather. The honorific epithet Eupator, he also inherited from them which is known from surviving numismatic and inscriptional evidence of Polemon I and Polemon II. The epithet Eupator, is also shared by his various maternal relations: Ptolemaic Prince Ptolemy Eupator, Seleucid King Antiochus V Eupator, King Mithridates VI of Pontus and the Bosporan King Tiberius Julius Eupator.

Polemon was born at an unknown date perhaps after the early 50s til the early 60s. He was raised in his parent’s realm of Pontus, Colchis and Cilicia, and little is known of his life. In 62, the Roman emperor Nero induced Polemon II to abdicate the Pontian throne, and Pontus, including Colchis, became a Roman province. From then until his death, Polemon II only ruled Cilicia. When Polemon II died in 74, neither Polemon Eupator nor Rhoemetalces succeeded their father to the Kingship of Cilicia, as Cilicia became a Roman province.

• H. Temporini & W. Haase, Politische Geschichte (Provinzen Und Randv Lker: Griechischer Balkanraum; Kleinasien): Griechischer Balkanraum; Kleinasien), Walter de Gruyter, 1980
• B. Levick, Julia Domna: Syrian Empress, Routledge, 2007
• Polemon I & Polemon II articles at ancient library
• Ptolemaic Genealogy: Cleopatra VII